Vending machine



6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 18, 1938. A. E. GEBERT s-r AL VENDING MACHINE Filed Oct. 30., 1935 Jan- 18, 1938. A. E. GEBERT ET A1. 2,105,544

VENDING MACHINE Filpd ocr. :50, 1935 6 sheets-smet 2 A. E. GEBERT El AL VENDING MACHINE Jan.418, 1938.

Filed oct. so, 1955 e sheets-sheet 3 HHHHI" Jan. 18, 1938. y A. E. GEBERT ET AL l 2,105,644

" VENDING MACHINE Filed Dot. 30, 1935 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 .5y @Cm t18, '1938. A. E. GEBERT ET AL VENDING MACHINE Filed 00T.. 30, 1955 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 MNUN Fw u

Jan 1 8, 1938. A. E. GEBERT Er AL l 2,105,644

VENDING MACHINE Filled ct. 30, 1935 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented Jan. 18, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE VENDING MACHINE Application October 30, 1935, Serial No. 47,436

20 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in vending machines, and one of the objects of the same is to provide an improved machine of this character from which a plurality of commodities may be vended, each of the commodities supply being provided with its individual ejecting or vending mechanism, the ejecting mechanisms being all controlled in their operation by means of a single coin controlled mechanism which is common to them all.

A further object is to provide in a machine of this character improved means whereby when one of the ejecting mechanisms is being actuated, al1 of the other vending or ejecting mechanisms will be locked against operation, thereby rendering it impossible to actuate more than one ejecting...

mechanism at the same time.

A further object is to provide an improved machine of this character which will be comparatively simple and compact in construction, and

effective and efficient in operation.

To the attainment of these ends and the accomplishment of other new and useful objects as will appear, the invention consists in the features of novelty in substantially the construction, combination and arrangement of the several parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawings illustrating this invention, and in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of a machine of this character constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical, sectional view taken on line 2 2, Figure 1, with parts omitted.

Figure 3 is a detail, horizontal, sectional view taken on line 3 3, Figure 2, on an enlarged scale, and with parts omitted.

Figure 4 is a vertical, sectional View on an enlarged scale, taken on line 4 4, Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a vertical, sectional view taken on line 5 5, Figure 2, on an enlarged scale.

Figure 6 is a detail, horizontal, sectional view taken on line 6 6, Figure 5, looking in the direction of the arrows and with' parts omitted.

Figure 7 is a detail, vertical, sectional view taken on line 'I l, Figure 1, on an enlarged scale.

Figure 8 is a detail, sectional view, with parts omitted and parts broken away, as taken on line 8 8, Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a detail view partly in elevation, partly in section, and with parts omitted of a portion of the locking mechanism for the ejectors.

Figures 10 and 1l are elevations of details of the locking mechanism.

Figure 12 is a detail, perspective view, of one of the ejecting mechanisms and a portion of the locking mechanism therefor.

Figure 13 is a view similar to Figure 7, with a portion of the mechanism omitted and showing 5 the parts in different positions from that shown in Figure '7.

Figure 14 is a view similar to Figure 8, showing the parts in another position.

Figure 15 is a detail sectional view showing the 10 manner in which the weight in the commodity holder will lock the ejector when the supply of articles is exhausted.

Figure 16 is a bottom plan view of the commodity feeding weight. 15

The machine consists essentially of a casing having an upper portion I5 and an enlarged base I6 of any desired size and configuration and constructed of any suitable material, the base being provided with an incline or chute, a portion Il of 20 which is supported by the bottom of the casing to direct the articles to be vended through a delivery opening I8. Another portion I9 of the chute is secured to the back 20 of the casing, the latter being removably fastened in position by 25 means of a suitable lock 2 I.

Within the upper portion I5 of the casing is arranged a series of supply holders 22, the fronts of which are formed by a transparent closure 23, such as glass. The numeral 24 represents a back 30 for all of the supply holders and the back is removably secured in position by means of a member 25 behind which a portion of the back is inserted, and a pivoted catch 26 which cooperates with a keeper 2l so that when the back 35 20 is removed from the casing and the back 24 removed from behind the supply holders 22, the articles 28 may be placed in the supply holders in superposed positions.

Arranged within each of the supply holders Z2 40 is a weight or follower 29 having"a cut away portion 30 on the bottom thereof, for a purpose to be set forth, and the weight or follower rests upon the supplies 28 so as to cause the latter to be held in proper position to be engaged by the ejector. 45

As the construction and operation of' each of the ejecting mechanisms for the respective supply holders is the same, the specific description of one will apply equally as well to them all.

Arranged within the base of the machine and 50 held in position in any suitable manner such as by means of brackets 3l (see particularly Figures 2, 4 and 5) is a support 32 which extends across the casing below the bottom of the supply holders and is held in position in any suit- 55 able manner, preferably by means of the brackets 3| being removably secured by means of fastening devices 33 to the side walls of the casing l5, so that when desired the support 32 together with the associated mechanism may be readily removed from the back of the casing when the closure 20 is removed and the fastening devices 33 detached.

Mounted upon the support 32 are guideways 34 between which an upright 35 slides (see also Figure 3) and to the upper face of this upright is secured an ejector 35, the ejector being preferably held in position by means of two substantially U shaped members 31, the bottoms of the U shaped portions abutting the upright member 35 and being held in position in any suitable manner, while the ejector 36 is secured to the upper iianges 38 of the U shaped members. The lower fianges 39 of the U shaped members pass beneath the guides 34 and between the guides 34 and the support 32. The ejector 36 operates between anges 40 formed at the bottom of the supply holders 22, and the commodity 28, when the ejector 36 is moved forwardly to allow the commodities to drop, will rest upon the flanges 40 to be supported thereby, and the lowermost article in` the supply will be in the path of the return movement of the ejector 36 to be ejected by such movement of the ejector and discharged from the supply holder to drop upon the incline or chute |9|1 to be delivered through the delivery opening I8.

The upright member 35 constitutes a slide which projects through a suitable slot in the front wall of the base I6 of the casing, and secured to the slide is an operating handle 4|.

Provided on the edge of one of the flanges 39 (see particularly Figures 3 and 7) are a series of teeth 42 with which a spring controlled pawl 43 co-operates, a portion of the edge of the flange adjacent one end of the teeth being cut away as at 43, and another portion of the flange at the other end of the teeth being cut away as at 44, and these cut away portions 43aL and 44 are so located with respect to the iiange 39 and the movement of the slide 35 as to require the slide to move for -a predetermined extent before the spring pressed pawl 43 passes out of engagement with the teeth 42 to permit the slide to be moved in the opposite direction. That is, the spring pressed pawl or dog 43 co-operating with the teeth 42 on the slide operate as limit movement means necessitating the movement of the slide for a predetermined distance in each direction before its direction of movement can be reversed.

A spring 45 is anchored by one end as at 46 to a stationary part of the mechanism and at its other end as at 41 to the slide 35 and tends normally to retract the slide so as to move the ejector 38 into a position that it will be beneath the supply 28 (see Figure '1) to hold the supply in position.

It will thus be seen from the mechanism which has thus far been described, that when the slide 35 and ejector 36 are in their normal position, which is theposition shown in Figure 7, the articles 28 will be supported by the ejector 36, but when the slide 35 is moved forwardly the ejector will be moved out from under the supply and the supply will drop down and be supported by the ilanges 40 on the walls of the commodity holder 22.

Pivotally connected to the slide 35, preferably to one side thereof, is a dog 48 (see particularly Figure 7) one end 49 of which projects for a substantial distance above the top of the slide 35, and the other end 50 of the dog is weighted so as to rest upon one of the anges 39 of the U shaped members 31 that are connected with the slide 35 to form a stop for and to limit the movement of the dog 48 about its pivot in one direction.

The slides 35 are locked under certain conditions (to be explained) in a retracted position and against forward movement by means of a locking bar or member I (see particularly Figures 5, 6 and '7) which latter is mounted to slide upon the bottom of the support 32 and is held in position in any desired or suitable manner, preferably by means of screws 52 which pass through slots 53 in the bar 5| and into the support 32. A spring 54 is anchored by one end as at 55 to a Xed part of the machine and at its other end as at 55 to a projection depending from the slide 5| and tends normally to move the slide in one direction, that is, in a direction to lock the slides. The slide is provided with upwardly projecting fingers 51 (see particularly Figure 7) which project through a slot 58 in the support 32, so as to enter a recess 59 in the bottom of the slide 35 when the latter is in position to receive the ngers 51. This will occur when the parts are in the position shown in Figure 7, when the slide 35 has been retracted to the full extent of its rearward movement.

The bar 5|, however, is not rendered active with respect to its locking position until a coin has been deposited into the machine, and then when the coin mechanism is subsequently actuated, the locking bar will become active in a manner to be described.

Connected to the bar 5| is a depending member 60 arranged in any desired or suitable position which is adapted to be engaged and shifted by a suitable mechanism to be described, so as to move the bar 5| to the position shown in Figures 5 and 6, and against the stress of the spring 54 so as to unlock all of the slides 35 by moving the fingers 51 out of the respective recesses 59. This will permit any of the slides 35 to be selectively moved forwardly, and the member 60 and the bar 5| will be maintained in this position until other mechanism to be described, is operated,

after which the member 50 will be released and the spring 54 will move the slide 5| back to a position to lock all of the slides 35, as will be described.

'Ihat is to say, normally the slides 35 are locked against movement by locking mechanism ernbodying the discs or elements 62 and 63, to be hereinafter described, and the locking bar 5| is in a position that it will be inactive with respect to the locking of the slides 35, and will be held in this position by a portion of the coin controlled mechanism until a coin is deposited into the mechanism and the handle |00 (to be described) is turned.

Normally, the projection |04 is in engagement with the depending portion 60 of the bar 5| and holds the bar back in an inactive position against the stress of the spring 54.

As soon as a coin is deposited into the opening 99, the handle |00 can be turned, and then the projection |04 will be moved out of engagement with the portion 60 and to such a position that the spring 54 will move the bar 5| to temporarily lock the slides 35. The object of thus locking the slides 35 by the bar 5| at this point in the operation of the machine is to prevent the slides 35 from being moved until the coin is deposited into the machine. The parts will remain in this locked position until the handle is released and returned to its normal position by the spring |05. Under the iniiuence of this spring |05, the projection |04 will be moved back against the portion 60 of the bar 5| to shift the latter against the stress of the spring 54, to move the bar 5| into an unlocking position, the slides 35 will then be locked by the element 62-63.

In other words, the bar 5| serves only as a temporary locking means for the slides 35 during a portion of the operation of the machine and when the elements 62 and 63 are not serving as a locking means.

That is, the elements 62 and 63 co-operate with the bar 5| and vice versa, in controlling the operation of the device, and when one locking means is inactive the other is active` These two locking means permit a partial operation of the parts of the vmechanism and thereby render the mechanism fraud-proof.

Each of the slides 35 is provided with a downwardly projecting portion 6|, see particularly Figures 7 and 8, which co-operates with two series of freely movable members 62-63, each preferably consisting of' a plurality of discs, the respective series being disposed to move in suitable spaced parallel guideways 65, which extend across and below each of the slides 35, the ends of the guideways being closed by members |35a adjustably held in position by screws 65. The guideways 64 and 65 are of such length with respect to the combined length of the diameters of the respective elements 62-63 that these elements may be displaced laterally with respect to each other only for a suicient distance to permit the downwardly extending portion 6| of one of the slides to pass therebetween, as shown more clearly in Figure 8. When one of these portions 6| is disposed between adjacent discs of each of the series 62 and 53, as shown in Figure 8, it will be impossible for any of the slides 35, except the one whose portion stands between the discs, to be moved forwardly, and this will lock all of the other slides against movement. Such a movement of one of the slides 35 can only occur when the slides 35 have been released or unlocked by the shifting kofthe member 60 to withdraw the fingers 51 from the notches or recesses 5B in the slides.

By the provision of two sets or series of discs 62 and 63 and by the provision of other mechanism to be hereinafter described, which also operates to shift the discs 62 and 63, it will prevent one of the slides from being advanced until the portion 6| of the slide which has been advanced has disengaged or passed out from between both series of discs 62 and 63. That is to say, it will prevent an operator from simultaneously operating two of the slides 35 at the same time.

In Figure 9, there is shown a locking mechanism which moves the discs 62-63 into such position within their guideways 64-65 so as to lock these discs against separation and prevent the advancement of any of the slides 35 until the proper check or token has been deposited in the machine, in a manner to be set forth. This locking mechanism must first be released with respect to the discs or elements 62 so as to allow the discs to be separated to permit the portion 6| of one of the slides to pass between adjacent discs. After the slide has been actuated and the commodity vended thereby, the locking mechanism is automatically actuated, according to the position of the slide so as to successively lock the series of discs against separation as the portion 6| of one of the slides 35 passes from between adjacent discs.

To that end there is provided a member 66 which is secured to a fixed support, preferably upon one of the guides 34 for the slides 35, and this member is preferably provided with a recess 61 in the upper edge thereof. A member 68 is connected to the member 66 for sliding movement with respect thereto, preferably by means of pins or bolts 69which pass through the member 68 and through slots 10 in the member 66. The member 68 is provided on its upper edge with an upwardly inclined cam shaped portion 1| terminating adjacent a recess 12 opening through the top of the member, and the member 68 is held close to the side of the member 66 and is slidable with respect thereto. Depending from the member 68 is a projection 13 which extends through the support 32 and is adapted to pass between the wall 65a at the end of the guideway 65 and the adjacent disc 63 so as to lock the disc 63 against separation.

Sildably supported also by the member 66 and on the other side of the member 68 so that the member 68 will be therebetween is another slidable member 14 provided with slots 15 registering with and corresponding to the slots in the member 66, so that the pins or bolts 69 supported by the member 68 will pass through the slots 15 as well as the slots 10, thereby adapting the members 63 and 14 for sliding movement with respect to the member 66 and also for independent sliding movement with respect to each other. Depending from the member 14 is a projection 16 which co-operates with the series of discs 62 in the same manner that the projection 13 co-operateswith the series of discs 63. 'I'hat is, at a certain time in the cycle of operation of the machine, the projection 16 will pass between the wall 65a at the end of the guideway 64 and the adjacent disc 62 to lock these discs against separation and thereby prevent the drawing of any of the slides 35 forwardly, by reason of the fact that Ythe discs being locked against separation, the portions 6| of the slides 35 cannot separate the discs and the end of the portion 6| will abut the discs, and the slide will be held against forward movement.

A spring 11 is anchored by one end to a xed support 18 and by its other end to a pin 19 which is carried by the member 6B and projects through one of the slots 10 in the member 66. Another spring 80 is anchored by one end as at 8| to a fixed support and by its other end to a pin 82 which is carried by the member 14, and is provided for the purpose of moving the member 14 with respect to the member 68 while the spring 11 is provided for the purpose of moving the members 68 and 14 with respect to the member 66.

Dependingv from the member 68 is a pin or lug 63 which passes through a suitable slot 84 in the support 32 (see also Figure 6). A bell crank lever 85 is pivotally mounted as at 86 to the bottom of the support 32. One arm of this lever is bifurcated as at 81 and receives the pin 83 carried by the member 68. Connected to the other arm of the bell crank lever is a link 88, the link in turn being connected as at 89 to a lever or rocking member 90 pivotally supported intermediate its ends as at 9| upon a suitable fulcrum 92, and the other end of the member 90 is provided with an enlarged or attened portion 93 which is disposed adjacent but spaced from the member 60, which latter is connected to the slide 5I, for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

When this member is rocked about its pivot in one direction, the bell crank lever 85 will be rocked about its pivot and as the bell crank lever is connected to the slidable member 68 (see Figures 9 and 10) through the medium of the pin 83 and bifurcation 81 in the arm of the bell crank lever, the member 68 will be moved forwardly against the stress of the spring l1 until a bail S4, the arms of which are journaled in bearings 96, passes over the cam shaped portion 'll on the member 68 to drop behind the cam shaped portion H into the recess 61 of the member 66, and thereby lock the member 68 in its forward position against the stress of the spring 11, A spring S1 may be provided for assisting the bail 94 in dropping from the cam 1| into the recess 61.

The spring 86 tends normally to move the member 14 with respect to the member 68 in a direction that the forward ends of the slots 15 in the member 'f4 (see particularly Figure 11) will abut the pins 69, with the result that when the member S8 is moved forwardly by the operation of the lever 98 and the intermediate connections, the pins 69 being carried by the member 63, the member 14 will also be moved forwardly and will be held in this position until the member 58 is released by the shifting or rocking of the bail 94 to move the latter from behind the cam shaped portion 1l on the member 68.

This operation will be effected by thedog 48 carried by the slide 35.

'I'he normal position of the projection 16 on the member 14 is adjacent the endmost disc or element of the series 62 so as to lock them against separation, and the normal position of the projection 'I3 on the member 68 is adjacent the endmost disc or element of the series 63 to lock them against separation, so that the ends of the slides 35 cannot be moved forwardly until these projections 16 and 13 are displaced and moved to the position shown in Figure 8 to permit separation of the elements 62 and 63 of the respective series, thereby permitting the p roject-ion 6I on the slide to pass between adjacent discs or elements to move the slide forwardly.

The normal position of the slides 35 (see particularly Figures 3 and 7) is such that the dog 48 will be disposed in the rear of the bail 94 when the latter is in a locking position, asshown in Figure 3, to lock the members 68 and 74 in their forward position against the stress of the respective springs 'i1 and 80, by reason of the fact that the bail will be behind the cam portion Il on the member 68, resting in the recess 61 in the member 62, and as the pins 59 engage the forward end of the slot 75, the member 14 will also be held in its forward position.

This will cause the depending projection 13 on the member 68 and the depending projection 16 on the member I4 to stand in the positions with respect to the series of discs or elements 63 and 62, as shown in Figure 8.

Then when the slide 35 is moved forwardly by the operating handle 4I, the end 49 of the dog 48 will contact the bail S4, and a further forward movement of the slide 35 in the same direction will rock the dog 48 from the full line position shown in Figure 7 to the dotted line position in said figure, thereby permitting the dog 48 to pass beneath the bail 94 and the depending portion 6| of the slide 35 to pass between respective adjacent discs 62 and 63, permitting a full forward movement of the slide 35. As soon, however, as the end 49 passes the bail 94, the weighted end 50 will cause the dog to move back into the full line position shown in Figure 7, but in advance of the bail 94.

When the slide 35 is then moved rearwardly back to its normal position, and during which time the article 28 will be ejected 'from the supply 22 by the ejector 36, the dog 48 will be in a somewhat rigid position with respect to the slide 35, with the result that as the slide 35 moves rearwardly the end 49 of the dog will engage the bail 94 and raise the bail against the stress of the spring 91, thereby releasing the members 68 and 14, but as the discs or elements of the respective series 62 and B3 are projected into the path cf the rearward movement of the projections 13 on the members 68 and 'I6 on the member 14, these members will be held against rearward movement, but the respective springs 21 and 80 will be maintained under tension so that when the discs or elements 62--63 are respectively moved out of the path of the movement of the projections 13 and 16, in a manner to be set forth, the members E8 and 14 will then be allowed to return under the stress of the springs 11 and 80.

When the members 68 and 14 are in their forward positions (see particularly Figure 8), the projection 16 on the member 14 will be disposed to one side of the guideway 64 of the series of elements 62 while the depending projection 16 on the member 68 will be disposed between the series of elements 62-63, allowing both series of elements 62-63 to be separated at any predetermined point by the depending portion 6I on the selected slide 35, so as to permit that slide to be moved forwardly to eject a predetermined one of the supplies 22 from which the article is to be vended upon the return stroke of the slide, while the other slides 35 will be locked against forward movement by the elements 62.

In Figure 8 the position of the projections 16 and 73 is clearly shown when the elements 62 and 63 have been separated by the depending portion 6l of one of the slides 35, and it will be manifest that in this position of the elements B2, all of the remaining slides 35 will be locked against being moved forwardly.

This is the position the parts will assume when the slide 35 is drawn forwardly and the dog 48 is being rocked by engagement with the bail 94 to pass the latter in a forward direction.

When, however, the slide 35 is at the limit of its forward movement and the dog 48 has dropped back to the position shown in full lines in Figure 7, and the slide 35 is being returned so as to eject the article, the dog 48 will raise the bail 94 to release the member 68 and also the member 14. The spring 'I1 being under tension will immediately have the tendency to move the members 6B and 14 backwardly, but as the depending portion GI of the slide 35 stands between adjacent discs or elements of the series (i2-63, one of the discs of the forward series 63 will stand within the path of the return movement of the projection 13 on the member 68 and hold it against return movement under the stress of the spring TI. At the same time one of the discs or elements of the series 62 will stand within the path of the return movement of the projection 16 on the member '14, holding that member against return movement under the stress of the spring 80.

The parts will remain in this position until the depending portion 6I on the slide 35 clears the discs or elements of the forward series 63. At

this moment the stress of the spring 'l1 being exerted upon the member or slide 68 will move the projection against the end disc or element 63 to shift the latter and allow the projection 13 to pass. thereby permitting the spring 'I'I to move the member G8 to its rearmost position, and lock all of the discs or elements 63 against separation. At the same time, however, the member '|4 will be prevented from a similar movement under the stress of the spring 80 by reason of the fact that one of the discs of the series 62 will be in the path of the return movement of the projection 16 on the member 14, due to the fact that the portion 6I of the slide 35 has not yet been removed from between the discs of the series 62.

The parts will remain in this position until the portion 8| of the slide 35 clears or passes from between the discs or elements 62 of the rearmost series and just as the said portion 6| does clear the elementsv 62, the spring 80 will cause the depending portion or projection '|6 on the member 14 to pass into such a position with respect to the disc B2 to lock them against separation.

This double series of elements 62-63 prevents the manipulation of the machine so as to partially advance one of the slides before the other slide is completely returned and the elements 62-63 will be locked against separation, so as to further prevent the delivery of an article from the machine without the deposit of the proper coin or check.

It will be manifest that the two series of discs will be successively locked against separation, and this will insure the operation of only one of the slides 35, while the others remain locked against operation.

The ejecting mechanism is controlled in its operation by a coin controlled device designated generally by the reference numeral 98 having a coin receiving inlet 99 and an operating handle |00. This coin controlled mechanism may be of any suitable type. Suice it to say that there ls provided a rotatable element |0| preferably embodying a shaft I 02 having a cut away portion |03 and carried by the portion |03 is a projection |04. This shaft is disposed between the member 60 and the lever 90, as shown more clearly in Figure 4, and connected to the shaft is a spring |05, one end of which is anchored as at |06 to the shaft and the other end at |01 to a fixed support.

The normal tendency of the spring |05 is to return the shaft to its normal position, that is to the position shown in Figures 4 and 5, so that upon insertion of a coin into the coin receiving opening 99 and the rotation of the operating handle |00, the shaft |51 will be rst rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 4, to cause the projection |04 to engage the end 93 of the lever 99 and rock the latter about its pivot 9| to draw the members 68 and 'I4 forwardly so that the bail 94 will drop behind the cam portion on the member 68 and into the recess 6'I on the member 56, thereby moving these members forwardly so as to move the projections 13 and 'I6 to the positions shown in Figure 8, to release the discs or elements 63 and 62 so that they may be separated by one of the slides being moved forwardly. Upon this movement of the shaft |0|, the projection |04 will move out of engagement with the member 60 to allow the spring 54 to shift the member 5|, to cause the projections 51 to enter the recesses 59 in the slides 35 to temporarily lock them against movement.

After the members 68 and 'I4 have been thus locked in their forward position and in the position shown in Figure 8, by the rotation of the operating handle |00, the spring |05 is being placed under tension so that when the handle |00 is released, the shaft |0| will be rotated in the opposite direction, causing the projection |04 to engage the member 60 which is connected to the slide 5| to move the latter (see Figure 7) and cause the fingers 5'| to move out of the notch or recess 59 in each of the slides, so that one of the slides 35 may be selected to be advanced and then retracted to deliver an article from the respective supply.

During this operation of the shaft IOI the coin or token will be discharged through the opening 09 into the coin receiving receptacle |09 within the base of the machine.

It is thought that the operation of this device will be clearly understood from the foregoing, but briefly stated it is as follows: -The normal position of the slides 35 is as shown in Figure 7 with the ejector 36 of the respective slides disposed beneath the supply 28 and with the projections 'I6 and '|3 on the respective members 'I4 and 68 in such position with respect to the elements 62-53 (see Figure 14) as to lock them against separation, and in which position the members 68 and 14 will be held retracted by the respective springs 'I1-80.

When a coin is deposited in the coin receiving opening 99. and the handle |00 rotated, the coin, through the coin controlled mechanism (not shown) will connect the handle |00 with the shaftrll, so that the latter may be rotated against the stress of the spring |05. The first operation is that the projection |04 on the shaft 0| will engage the portion 93 of the lever 90 and rock it about its pivot, thereby rocking the bell crank lever 85 (see Figure 6) which will cause the members 68 and 'I4 to be moved forwardly to a position that the bail 94 will drop behind the cam 'II on the member 68 and into the recess 61 in the member 56, the member 'I4 being moved and held forwardly by means of the pins 69 engaging the forward ends of the slots '15.

The handle |00 is then released and the spring |05 will return it to its normal position, during which time the projection |04 will move into engagement with the member 69 on the slide 5| and unlock the slides 35 by moving the fingers 51 thereof out of the notches or recesses 59.

The discs 62 and 63 being thus unlocked by reason of the fact that the projection 'I6 on the member 'I4 and the projection 'I3 on the member 68 will move into positions out of engagement with the discs or to such positions as to permit the discs 62-63 to be separated, the machine will be unlocked.

The operator then can select any one of the slides 35 and draw the same forwardly. By reason of the fact that the discs 62 and 63 are unlocked, they will be separated by the portion 6| of the slide 35 to permit the latter to be moved forwardly. This movement, however, of the portion 6| with respect to the elements 62 and 63 will l ock the latter against being separated so as to permit any one of the slides 35 to be moved forwardly, and lock the other slides against forward movement, when one slide has already been moved forwardly.

As the slide 35 moves forwardly, the dog 48 will be rocked about its pivot to pass under the bail 94 and the full extent movement pawls 43 passing over the ratchet teeth 42 will necessitate the movement of the slide forwardly to its full extent before the pawl can pass into the recess 43a to permit the pawl to reverse and thereby render it possible to return the slide 35 to eject the article from the supply.

As the slide 35 returns, the dog 48 will engage the bail 94 and shift the latter to move it from behind the cam Il of the member B8. This will release both the members 68 and 14, so that they will be subject to the stress of their respective springs 'l1 and 86 but, inasmuch as the projections 13 and 16, (see Figure 8) on these members 68 and 14 Will be held against return movement by the discs 63 and 62, by reason of the portion 6l of one 0f the slides 35 being between the discs, these members 68 and 14 will be held against return movement.

When the portion 6| of the slide 35 has moved out of engagement or from. between the discs of the series 63, the spring 'l1 which controls the movement of the slide or member 68 to which the projection I3 is connected, will move the member 68 rearwardly and the projection 13 into such position with respect to the series of elements 63 as to lock them against separation. However, as the portion 6| of the slide 35 is still between thediscs 62, the member 14 will be held against return movement under the stress of its spring 8U until the portion 6I of the slide moves from between the discs 62 so as to allow the spring 80 to act upon the member 14, drawing the projection 16 backwardly against the adjacent element 62, causing the elements to be shifted in such a manner that they will be locked against separation.

Until a new coin has been inserted in the machine and this operation repeated, it will not be possible to operate another slide, and it will be impossible to operate one slide when another slide has been partially or fully operated.

As soon as the supply of articles has been exhausted from any one of the supply holders 22, the weight 29 will drop downwardly so that the cut away portion 30 thereon will assume a position in the path of the forward movement of the ejector 36 so as tofbe engaged by the ejector, and this will hold the slide 35 of the exhausted supply from being moved forwardly.

In order to lock the ejector slide against operation when the respective supply is exhausted, the weight 29 drops down, so that a shoulder 29al on the bottom thereof, will move into the path of movement of the edge 36a of the portion 36 of the ejector, as shown in detail in Figure 15 of the drawings.

While the preferred form of the invention has been herein shown and described, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, within the scope of the claims, without departing from the spirit of this invention.

What is claimed as new is:-

1. In a vending machine, a plurality of article supply holders, ejecting mechanisms individual to the supplies, means for locking said ejecting mechanisms against operation, a normally inactive master control, means whereby said master control may be rendered active to render said locking means inactive to permit said ejecting mechanisms to be selectively rendered active to eject an article from its respective said supply,

means responsive to the operation of the ejecting mechanisms for locking the remaining ejecting mechanisms against operation, additional means common to the ejectors for locking them against operation, and mechanism embodying a portion of the first said means, operable to render the last recited locking means inactive.

2. In a vending machine, a plurality of ejectors, means normally locking said ejectors against operation, said means embodying a plurality of freely movable members adapted to be separated to permit only one of the ejectors to be actuated while said members operate to lock the other ejectors against operation, means individual to the ejectors for separating the said members, for selectively rendering an ejector active, means tending normally to lock said members against separation, means for maintaining the last said means in inoperative position, and means individual to and connected to the ejectors, movable therewith and with respect thereto for rendering the last said means inactive, thereby adapting the said locking means to return to their ac' tive or locking positions.

3. In a vending machine, a plurality of ejectors, means normally locking said ejectors against operation, said means embodying a plurality of freely movable members adapted to be separated to permit only one of the ejectors to be actuated while said members operate to lock the other ejectors against operation, means individual to the ejectors for separating the said members, for selectively rendering an ejector active, means adapted to be positioned to lock said members against separation, means for postioning the last recited locking means in an inactive position, to permit the said members to be separated, means for maintaining the locking means in an inactive position, and means individual to the ejectors operating to render the last recited locking means active at a predetermined time in the cycle of operation of the ejector.

4. In a vending machine, a plurality of ejectors, means normally locking said ejectors against operation, said means embodying a plurality of freely movable members adapted to be separated to permit only one of the ejectors to be actuated while said members .operate to lock the other ejectors against operation, means individual to the ejectors for separating the said members, for selectively rendering an ejector active, an element, means tending normally to position said element for locking said members against separation, means for positioning said element to render the same inactive to permit the said members to be separated, means for locking said element in its last said position, and means individual to and responsive in its operation to the operation of the ejectors for rendering the said locking means active.

5. In a vending machine, a plurality of article supply holders, ejectors individual to the supplies, means individual to said ejectors for actuating them, means common to the ejectors for locking them against operation, check controlled mechanism common to said ejectors for rendering the said locking means inactive, additional means normally locking said ejectors against operation, means adapted to be set by the operation of the check controlled mechanism, to render the said additional means inactive with respect to locking the ejectors against operation, and means responsive to and operating at a predetermined time in the cycle of operation of the ejectors for causing the said additional means to lock all of the ejectors against operation.

6. In a vending machine, a plurality of article supply holders, ejectors individual to the supplies, means individual to said ejectors for actuating them, means common to the ejectors for locking them against operation, check controlled mechanism common to said ejectors for rendering the said locking means inactive, additional means for locking said ejectors against operation, normally active means for rendering the last said means active, means whereby upon operation of the check controlled mechanism the last recited means will be rendered inactive, means for locking the latter in an inactive position, and means individual to the ejectors and operating upon the actuation of any ejector to release the last said locking means to permit the said normally active means to return to their locking positions.

7. In a vending machine, a plurality of slidable ejectors, means for locking the ejectors against operation, said means embodying a plurality of freely separable elements arranged in alinement and adapted to be separated to permit one of said ejectors to be actuated, means for maintaining said elements against separation to maintain all of the ejectors against operation, a master control, means responsive in its operation to the actuation of said master control for rendering the last recited means inactive whereby said members may be separated by the operation of one of the ejectors, and maintained against separation with respect to the remaining ejectors to lock the latter against operation, and means separate from said master control and itself controlled in its operation by the actuation of one of the ejectors for rendering active the means which prevents the said elements from being separated.

8. In a vending machine, a plurality of slidable ejectors, means for locking the ejectors against operation, said means embodying a plurality of series of freely separable elements, the elements of each series adapted to be selectively separated to permit one of said ejectors to be actuated, means individual to the series for maintaining the elements of the respective series against separation, means adapted to render the last recited means inactive to permit the elements to be separated with respect to one of the ejectors and against separation with respect to the remaining ejectors to lock the latter against operation, and means responsive in its operation to the actuation of any of the ejectors for successively rendering the second recited means active, to restore, at predetermined times in the cycle of operation of the ejector, the normal position of the said elements with respect to each other and for locking the Aelements against separation,

9. In a vending machine, a plurality of slidable ejectors independently operable, means for locking the ejectors against operation, said means embodying a series of freely separable elements arranged edge to edge, means carried by the ejectors for separating said elements to permit an ejector to be actuated, the rst said means embodying means for maintaining the elements against separation, means for rendering the last said means inactive, locking means adapted to be rendered active to maintain the last said means in an inactive position whereby said elements may be separated with respect to one of said ejectors only, and means operable in response to the actuation of an ejector to render the second recited locking means inactive, Whereby the third recited means will become active to maintain the said elements against separation.

10. In a vending machine, a plurality of slidable'ejectors independently operable, means for locking the ejectors against operation, said means embodying a series of freely separable elements arranged edge to edge, means carried by the cjcctcrs for separating said elements to permit the ejector to be actuated, means for maintaining the elements against separation, means tending normally to maintain the last said means active, mechanism adapted to be set to maintain the said separation preventing means inactive against the stress of the fourth said means, whereby said elements may be separated with re- :peet to cnc of said ejectors only, and means responsive in its operation at a predetermined time in the cycle of operation of the operable ejector for rendering the said mechanism inactive, whereby the third recited means will become active to maintain the said elements against separation.

l1. In a vending machine, a plurality of slidable ejccters independently operable, means for locking the ejectors against operation, said means embodying a series of freely separable elements arranged edge to edge, means carried by the ejectors for separating said elements to permit the ejector to be actuated, the first recited means embodying means for maintaining the elements against separation, mechanism adapted to be set to maintain the last said means inactive whereby said elements may be separated with respect to one of said ejectors only, means responsive to the operation of the actuable ejector operating to render the said mechanism inactive whereby the third recited means will become active to maintain the said elements against separation, coin controlled mechanism, and means responsive in its operation to the actuation of the control mechanism for setting the first recited mechanism.

l2. In a vending machine, a plurality of slidable ejectcrs independently operable, means for locking the ejectors against operation, said means embodying a plurality of separate series of freely separable elements, the elements of each series r being arranged edge to edge, and the series being spaced from each other, means carried by the ejectors for successively separating the elements of the two series to permit the ejector to be actuated, means individual to the series for maintaining the elements of the respective series against separation, a control device mechanism individual to the said series adapted to be set in response to the operation of said control device, to maintain the last said means inactive whereby said elements of the respective series may be separated with respect to one of said ejectors only, and means operating in response to the operation of said ejectors to successively render said mechanisms inactive whereby the third recited means will become active to maintain the elements of the respective series against separation,

13. In a vending machine, a plurality of slidable ejectors independently operable, means for locking the ejectors against operation, said means embodying a plurality of separate series of freely separable elements, the elements of each series being arranged edge to edge, means carried by the ejectors for successively separating the elements of the two series to permit the ejector to be actuated, means individual to the series for maintaining the elements of the respective series against separation, mechanism individual to the said series adapted to be set to maintain the last said means inactive whereby said elements of the respective series may be separated with respect to one of said ejectors only, coin controlled mechanism for controlling the operation of the said mechanism that is adapted to be set, and means responsive in its operation to the actuation of the ejector at a predetermined point in its cycle of operation to successively render said mechanisms inactive whereby the third recited means will become active to maintain the elements of the respective series against separation.

14. In a vending machine a plurality of separately sli-dable ejectors, means for locking the ejectors against operation, said means embodying a plurality of series of freely separable members, means individual to the series for maintaining the members therein against separation, the last said means embodying shiftable elements adapted to be positioned with relation to the respective series, coin controlled means for moving said elements out of the last recited positions, locking means for maintaining them in the positions into which they have been moved, to permit the said members to be separated with respect to one ejector only, and means for rendering said locking means inactive to permit said elements to be successively moved into positions to prevent separation of said members.

15. In a vending machine a plurality of separately slidable ejectors, means for locking the ejectors against operation, said means embodying a plurality of series of freely separable members, means individual to the series for maintaining the members therein against separation, the last said means embodying shiftable elements adapted to be positioned with relation to the respective series, coin controlled means for moving said elements out of the last recited positions, locking means for maintaining them in the positions into which they have been moved, to permit the said members to be separated with respect to one ejector only, and means controlled in its operation by the actuation of an ejector for causing the means which prevents the elements from being separated, to become active.

16. In a vending machine, a plurality of slidable ejectors, means for maintaining them against operation, said means embodying a plurality of series of elements arranged edge to edge and adaptedY to be selectively separated to permit the operation of one of the ejectors, means embodying slidable members individual to the series and adapted to be positioned with respect to the series to prevent separation of the elements, means connecting said members for movement together and for separate movement one with relation to the other, coin controlled means for positioning said members to permit the elements to be separated, means for locking the members in such position, means for rendering the said locking means inactive, and means tending normally to move the members when unlocked, into a position to prevent separation of the elements.

1'7. In a vending machine, a plurality of slidable ej ectors, means for maintaining them against operation, said means embodying a plurality of series of elements arranged edge to edge and adapted to be selectively separated to permit the operation of one of the ejectors, means embodying adapted to be positioned with respect to the series to prevent separation of the elements, means connecting said members for movement together and for separate movement one with relation to the other, coin controlled means for positioning said members to permit the elements to be separated, means for locking the members in such position, means for rendering the said locking means inactive, means tending normally to move the members when unlocked, into a position to prevent separation of the elements, the means which renders the said locking means inactive, embodying a pivoted locking element cooperating with a portion of one of said members, and an element carried by the ejector for engaging and moving the said pivoted locking element.

18. In a vending machine, a plurality of slidable ejectors, means for maintaining them against operation, said means embodying a plurality of series of elements arranged edge to edge and adapted to be selectively separated to permit the operation of one of the ejectors, means embodying slidable members individual to the series and adapted to be positioned with respect to the series to prevent separation of the elements, means connecting said members for movement together and for separate movement one With relation to the other, coin controlled means for positioning said members to permit the elements to be separated, means for locking the members in such position, means for rendering the said locking means inactive, means tending normally to move the members when unlocked, into a position to prevent separation of the elements, the means which renders the said locking means inactive, embodying a pivoted locking element cooperating with a portion of one of said members, and an element carried by the ejector for engaging and moving the said pivoted locking element, the said element which is carried by the ejector being pivoted thereto and adapted to engage said locking element and be moved about its pivot thereby to pass the locking element when the ejector is moved in one direction, and adapted to engage and swing the locking element about its pivot when the ejector is moved in the opposite direction.

19. In a vending machine, a plurality of slidable ejectors, means individual thereto for operating them, means normally looking the ejectors against operation and embodying a plurality of freely movable members adapted to be separated to permit only one of the ejectors to be actuated While said members operate to lock the other ejectors against operation, means individual to the ejectors for separating the said members, an element for locking the members against separation, means tending normally to render said element active, means for moving said element into an inactive position, means for locking the element in an inactive position, the last said means embodyinga member adapted to be tripped upon movement of the ejector in one direction, and means individual to and carried by the ejector for tripping the last said member, the tripping means embodying a member movable with and with respect to the ejector.

20. In a vending machine, a plurality of slidable ejectors, means individual thereto for operating them, means normally locking the ejectors against operation and embodying a plurality of freely movable members adapted to be separated to permit only one of the ejectors to be actuated ejectors against operation, means individual to the ejectors for separating the said members, an element for locking the members against separation, means tending normally to render said eiement active, means for moving said element into an inactive position, means for locking the element in an inactive position, the last said means embodying a member adapted to be tripped upon movement of the ejector in one direction, and means individual to and carried by the ejector for tripping the last said member, the tripping means embodying a member pivotally mounted upon the ejector, a stop to be engaged by the last said member to arrest its movement about its pivot when the tripping member contacts the locking member whereby the former will be tripped by the latter, said tripping member freely movable about its pivot in the opposite direction when contacting the locking member, upon the movement of the ejector in the opposite direction.

ALBERT E. GEBERT. FLOYD C. BLACK. 

